Discover a collection of stories from our authorities on the Longevity Lifestyle, created by ROAR Forward, a collaborative of longevity thought leaders and content creators.
For hundreds, maybe thousands of years, people have been trying to figure out how to live longer. Over the past 100 years, modern medicine and improved lifestyle have helped us add about 20 years to our lives. In 1929 the average American’s life expectancy was 57 years old. Today it is almost 78.
But longevity is not the only goal. Longevity, or “lifespan,” should be as close to your “healthspan” as possible. Your healthspan is how long you are living a healthy, active, and satisfying life. Because it’s not only about living longer…the goal is to live longer and better.
“As a doctor, I want you to do the things you want to do for as long as you can,” says Dr. Mark Lachs, Co-Director, Center for Aging Research and Clinical Care at Weill Cornell Medicine. “It’s not only about adding years to your life. It’s about adding life to your years.”
Aging, Lachs explains, is not a “disease.” It’s a “condition” that we’re all subject to. Longevity is where aging will take you if you play your cards right (and have a little bit of luck). To reach the goal of a long life full of vitality, the things you do today can have substantial impact on your lifespan and your healthspan. What are those things? Eat well, sleep well, move daily, spend time with your family or community, and be in touch with your mental health.
“When I graduated from med school in the mid-1980s, I was told that the vast majority of life expectancy and quality of life was in fact genetics,” says Lachs. ”It turns out that it's probably exactly the opposite. Except for a few people who might have a longevity gene, it turns out that environment and the things that you do during your life have much more impact on your lifespan and healthspan than your genetics do.”
He adds, “How we live our lives, how we exercise, our lifestyle habits, and our socialization all have powerful impacts on our epigenetics and how long we're going to live and what our later lives are going to look like.”
For most, it would be ideal to start living a healthy lifestyle as soon as we reach adulthood. The reality is that we don’t usually make changes until we start to see our own aging in action or get a wake-up call about our health. But the earlier we start the commitment to a lifestyle of physical, mental and emotional health, the cumulative effects begin to multiply.
Taking control of your life and years
It’s generally accepted in medical circles that younger generations, (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) will add even more years to their lifespan and healthspan. Healthier lifestyles and increasingly better healthcare have given them a 30% chance of living to 100.
What about the rest of us?
There is no shortage of short-term “miracles” on the market but it's the logical tried and true lifestyle habits that will have the best results. See your doctor regularly, eat a healthy diet, take care of your skin, stay engaged in the world through your career, lifelong learning and pursuing your passions. Exercise and sleep enough. Take care of your mental and emotional health.
And according to Dr. Lachs, invest in your relationships. “Isolation can shorten your life by years. Having healthy relationships and being a part of a community can add several years to your life,” he says.
Dr. Lachs also stresses that aging well requires more than just hoping for a medical magic bullet. It requires effort and personal action. “Your primary care provider is YOU—be engaged with your healthcare and your well being.”